1. Field of the invention:
This invention relates to an improved copying machine capable of being carried and stored in an upright posture.
2. Description of the prior art:
Copying machines generally in use have a jam sensor in the paper transport path thereof to detect paper jam. Such a jam sensor is provided with an actuator easily rotatable by a slight force such as the pressure of copy paper, the activation of the jam sensor being detected when the actuator has remained in a depressed state for more than a fixed period of time (the time needed for the passage of copy paper therethrough).
On the other hand, with the recent popularization of copying machines, compact and portable copying machines have become available on the market. Such copying machines are so designed that they can be carried and stored in an upright posture. However, because powder-like toner is used in electrophotographic copying machines, toner may gather to one particular side in the developer unit or waste toner may leak, depending on the carrying or storing posture. To remove these problems, copying machines must be so designed that the developer unit will be kept in a horizontal position along its axial direction and that the waste toner box will not be turned over.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a conventional copying machine, in which a drumlike photoconductor 51 is disposed between the sidewalls of the machine roughly parallel to the end panels in the center of the body of the copying machine. Along the axial direction of the photoconductor 51, are disposed a developer unit 52 on the right side and a cleaning unit 53 containing a waste toner box on the left side. A paper feed system 54 including a paper feed tray 540 is disposed on the right side of the copying machine, and a paper exit system 55 on the left side thereof. When the copying machine is put on end with the handle 56 facing upward, the toner in the developer unit 52 does not gather to one side or the waste toner in the cleaning unit 53 does not leak. Therefore, a handle 56 is provided on the right side of the copying machine so that the copying machine will be put on end with the handle side facing upward.
However, since a jam sensor is installed in the copying machine as previously mentioned, when the copying machine is put on end with the right side of FIG. 4 (the side on which the paper feed system 54 is provided) facing upward, the actuator of the jam sensor is rotated, causing the activation of the jam sensor to be detected even when no jam has occurred. Once the activation of the jam sensor is detected, a jam release switch must be operated, which is inconvenient for the operator.